‘Magician’ cheats woman of jewels in Arakkonam

The police identified the victim as Banumathy (34), wife of Srinivasan of Balasundaram Koil Street. When Banumathy and her son Santhosh were at their house on Tuesday morning, a man approached them. He told Banumathy that her husband sent him to ‘cure’ Santhosh’s physical ailments.

Believing him, she invited him inside the house. The ‘magician’ made Santosh sit on the floor, covered him with a blanket and chanted some mantras. He asked Banumathy to bring a vessel filled with water, an empty vessel and also some turmeric powder.

He then mixed the turmeric powder in the water and asked her to place her two-sovereign gold chain and two-gram earrings in the empty vessel. Banumathy obliged after which he asked her to splash the turmeric water around the house while he continued chanting.

When Banumathy returned, she found the ‘magician’ and her jewels missing. After she informed her husband regarding the incident, she realised that she was conned by the man. Following this, they complained to the Arakkonam town police who registered a case and are investigating.